Well and the like sinking apparatus



Dec- 3, 1940- G. J. SOLOMON 2,223,645

v WELL AND TH LIKE SINKING APPARATUS 'Filed Dec. 6, 1937 Y `df 2 7 Z Z 4 w O 1|: Z /yv 4. L-- I2- M Z 7 6 HV 4 5 /0 ..L\,- 8f. 1U I l lAx. Ma/u 7 G Patented Dec. 3, 1940 I UNITED STATES PATENTLOFFICE. f

Application December 6, 1937, Serial No. 178,281

` 'In Great Britain December 8, 1936` 2 claims. (C1. 255-1) This invention relates to that kind of machine to the inner wall of the body I. Horizontal cylinfor sinking wells, and for similar work such as drical chambers 39 in the blocks 33 register withA earth boring, mining and so forth byv extraction outwardly opening apertures of the same diamof earth, which has non-rotary earth penetrating eter in the side walls of -body I .and cylindric 5 means driven into the ground by iluid` under pistons 35 are adapted to s lide in said chamber 5 pressure and is operated solely from the surface and move outwardly of the machine to engage' of the ground. the bore or lining'A tube of the well to lock the The object of this invention is to improve the apparatus in the well. A packing in an internal said machine in respects which will hereinafter annular groove in the lower part of the body I be described with reference tothe accompanying seals between the body, and the hollow piston 6 10 drawing which shows constructional examples of slidable therein. Two longitudinally spaced upthe improvements in thev said machine and per and lower inwardly opening oriilces 30 and wherein- I6 are'formed in body I. The orifices are con- Figure 1v is a vertical section of a machine nected by a channel 9 formed in the body I. An

which has several pistons adapted to engage the opening 8 extending through the wall of hollow 15 bore wallor wellfcasing and hold the apparatus piston 6 is adapted to communicate vthe interior substantially stationary while the earth 'peneof piston 6 with orces I8 in body I when piston trating means enters the ground. 6 has moved below upper orice 30. Thus, com- Figure 2 is a cross-section of lone of the sai pressed iluid from within the interior of body I pistons. y above the piston 6 may enter the hollow piston 6. 20

Figure 3 shows-the assemblage of the cover of Each Pisten 35 vhas 'a circumferential flange the machine by means of studs provided with at the inner end thereof and a longitudinal rib damping springs. 36 on the lowermost part ofthe outer cylindrical Figure 4 is a section of an earth penetrating surface thereof. This rib slides, over a port 32 cylinder which may replace the earth penetrating extending through block 33 and partition 3| and 25 jaws in certain grounds. opening into chamber l43. When the piston 351s The machine shown in Figure 1 comprises a moved .outwardly to engage the well wall or lining movable earth penetrating means consisting of a tube it uncovers port 32 to allow compressed air hollow driving piston 6 which is slidable in the to pass therethrough. A stufng box 34 posibody I of 'the machine, said piston being closed iicned'alound PiSi 0n^35 iS Secured in the Opening 30 at the upper part; at the lower part it is closed in body I. A leather piece 3l, together with the by the cover 5. A packing member I5 makes an Stuffing bOX, make 1She Piston apparatus airtight. air-tight seal between the cover and piston, Rods 40 are attached to cover 5 at their lower Hinges 'I are secured to the cover 5 by pins, and ends. An intermediate part of each rod has a dovetailed parts reduce the work of the pins to a part I0 of larger diameter- That part 0f rod l0 35 minimum. Jaws 20 are secured to the hinges; including Pisten i0 iS Slidebly mounted ina cylinslotted forked brackets 2| attached to the inner der ,26 Which iS Secured t0 bOdY i by Perforated faces of,l the jaws permit the locking of thejaws, lugs 25 and 21. The upper ends of rods 40 have owing to their form. A hub 2l having a plurality nuts threaded thereon. The upper end ofhollow 40 of forked brackets is attached to the rod 3 of Ipiston 6 has a c0e1 r |3- The apparatus is at- 40 the piston 2, which is provided with a pressed tached to a cable by a ring 4I and at 45 is a Dinev leather piece 41, and situated in the interior of for connecting the bcdy 'l With a tubular cable the cylinder 6. Piston 2 is slidable within hollow or a. tank containing uid under pressure. piston 6. The number of jaws, in the example The cylindric pistons 35. with the projecting shown in F1g.,l, is 4. parts 36 are located in the body 33 inside the 45 The pisto'n has an opening 3 and a cock I3. machine "I. The projecting parts 36 in the The main body I of the machine is closed at the closed position of the apparatus cover lthe parts upper part by a cover Il. There is an internal- 32. When the apparatus starts to function in annular shoulder in the main body I above the the well the 'fluid under pressure pushes the pishollow piston 6, said shoulder being positioned tons 35 outwardly until the projecting parts 36 50 .above themaximum telescoped position of the uncovers the ports 32 so that the fluid passes hollow piston within the main body. A partition through the ports into the chambep. In this 3l rests on said shoulder and separates chamber position the pistons 35 hold the apparatus on the 42'in main body I from chamber 43. Blocks 33 wall of the well.

are positioned on the partition 3l and are secured The operation of the apparatus is as follows: 55

The apparatus is allowed to drop freely. Then through the aperture 45. compressed uid is delivered to chamber 42,- and drives the pistons 35 outwardly, due to the excess of pressure in the chamber 42 relatively to the chamber 39, so that the piston 35 sliding outwardly in block 33 will engage the lining tube or the walls of the well or the like in case the said tubes do not extend chamber 43 and drives the piston 6 downwardly to force the jaws into the ground, the body I being held stationary by the pistons 35;

The size of the port 32 is made adjustable, by using a forked piece sliding at will upon the port.

When the bucket has been iilled, that is, about the same time that the opening is uncovered by the piston 6, the compressed fluid passes through openings 30, 9 and -I8 and inwardly through the oriiice 8 of the bucket-which is now opposite III- into the interior of the chamber 4, and it drives the piston 2 upwardly in order to draw the jaws 20 inwardly and thereby grip the earth between them. By reducing the pressure, the pistons 35 sliding in the opposite direction due to the pressure in the chamber 39, will cover the ports.

A certain pressure prevails in the chamber 4 and this permits of maintaining the jaws in the stripping state. The'apparatus is then raised, the pressure in the chamber 4 is relieved, and the extra pressure in the chamber 29, added to the weight, will force the jaws outwardly and thereby 40 release the earth gripped between them. 'I'he rods 40, sliding in lugs 25 and 21 provided on the body I, serve to prevent separation of the piston6 from the body I lugs, the extent to which the piston-can descend being limited by impingement of nuts on the upper ends of the rods 40 against the lugs 21. In the cylinders 26, the air, orspringsg'permit ofholdingup the piston 6 in the interior of the body I during the descent of tle apparatus, and when the jaws 20 k into the ground, the airin 26 is compressed y the rod 40 which descends at the same time as the piston 6. It is evident that without departing from the principle of the invention, one may make various modifications in the disposition of the parts of the apparatus, or may use varied other constructions.

The apparatus serves also for the extraction of the lining tubes, and it will suffice to replace the jaws by a plate which bears upon the bottom of ing through the openings 32-which are left open by the pistons 35 in their strokes-enters the 4said pistons clam the hole or of the concrete of the pile, thus gripping the tube internally andobliglng it to rise on transference of the fluid pressure to the bottom of the hole by the said plate.

In order to dampen the shocks of the striking A part of the apparatus and .to avoid breakage of the pins I9 which serve to connect the cover 5 to the hollow piston 6, use is made of damping springs 46 mounted between the cover 5 and the nuts on the pins I9 (see Figure 3).

Instead of jaws, for certain grounds it is possible to use a cylinder 5I with forked brackets 44 mounted in the brackets I in place of the jaws 20; the machine penetrates the ground', and the cylinder becomes lled with earth. When the machine is raised, the earth remains in the latter.

' owing to the tapered form of the interior of the a variable diameter. To do so it is simply necessary to change the brackets 1 and the jaws 20.

I claim:

1. A machine of the specied kind for sinking wells andsimilar work, comprising earth penetrating means, driving means operated by'uid v under pressure for driving the earth penetrating means into the earth, laterally slidable pistons on the machine for clamping the I'machine in operative position, cylinders on the machine in which the pistons slide,.ports in the said cylinders for the entrance and escape of iiuid under pressure into and from the said cylinders, and

yports in the said cylinders controlled by the said pistons for the -passage of uid under pressure through the said cylinders to said driving means for actuating the said driving means whilst the the machine in operative position. l

2. A machine of the hereinbefore specied kind for sinking lwells'and for similar work, compris-V ing a cylindrical machine body having an open lower end, a fluid pressure actuated hollow driving piston in the machine body, a cover on the lower end of the hollow piston, earth penetrating means' connected to the said cover, connecting bolts for connecting the said cover to the said hollow piston, and damping springs on the connecting bolts.

GUILLAUME J SOLOMON. 

